It’s clear to see...CEMEX, the first to operate the new Econic tipper

07 May 2015

CEMEX is the first company in the UK to operate and trial the new Econic tipper, designed by Mercedes-Benz to provide the driver with an unrivalled field of vision.

”It’s clear to see that this revolutionary design, giving more than 90% extra visibility* can help prevent incidents and save lives on our busy urban roads, particularly those of cyclists,” comments Matthew Wild, Vice President Cement Commercial, Logistics and Building Products.

The three key features that give the exceptional field of vision to the front and both sides are a deep, panoramic windscreen which is at least 50% bigger than the standard windscreen, a fully glazed floor-to-ceiling kerbside door and unique low-entry cab.

The low- entry cab has just two steps from ground to cab and with a low driving position means that the driver is on the same level as pedestrians and cyclists. It provides the opportunity for direct eye-to-eye contact between the driver and the road user, vital in busy traffic conditions.

The floor-to-ceiling door which opens ‘bus-style’ into the cab further enhances the field of vision and allows the driver to see cyclists who may have cycled up the nearside of the vehicle, a vulnerable position for a cyclist.

CEMEX has worked closely in partnership with Mercedes-Benz to ensure that the vehicle is designed to CEMEX specifications and meets the current CLOCS (Construction Logistics & Cycle Safety) standards and is fitted with the cyclist safety features of the existing CEMEX’s fleet of aggregate tippers, concrete mixers and cement tankers - additional mirrors, essential signage on the back and nearside of the vehicle and proximity.

Matthew Wild continues “At CEMEX we aim to lead the way in cyclist safety in our sector. We continually assess and evaluate new safety measures that we can add to our vehicles and ensure that our drivers have regular training. These measures in conjunction with events like Exchanging Places with organisations such as the Metropolitan Police, to educate cyclists of the dangers around large goods vehicles have helped reduce our incidents with vulnerable road users.

“CEMEX and the construction industry have a responsibility to look at the design of the vehicles that are used day-in and day-out and are an integral part of the business. We are a CLOCS Champion, an industry-supported, Transport for London-backed initiative aimed at rolling out a consistent standard for managing work related road safety.

“This new design could completely revolutionise the design of the construction vehicle of the future,” he concludes.

The Econic tipper will be based at CEMEX’s Angerstein Quarry near Dartford and will supply sand and gravel to CEMEX’s London concrete plants and local customers, travelling through the busy roads of the city.

The tipper is fitted with a Wilcox Wilcolite insulated smooth rigid tipping body and is designed to take a payload of 20 tonnes, the same as a standard tipper. It is a marked step forward as previous high visibility design vehicles have had capacities of around 16 tonnes.

Helping to build a Great Britain – CEMEX’s vision is to help build a greater Britain by providing solutions to construction problems through our innovative building materials, our expertise, our understanding of the construction issues and our people.We aim to create the best service and the best solutions for a better future.

About CEMEX: CEMEX is a global manufacturer of building materials and the biggest Mexican investor in the UK, with 3,000 people employed across 450 sites nationwide. In this country, we are a leading provider of aggregates, cement, ready-mixed concrete and rail sleepers with annual sales of around £1 billion.